How to Care for Your Tile

After building a new home or remodeling a room with unique tile products, homeowners want to protect their investment with proper cleaning methods to prevent discolorations and marks. Understanding how to care for your tile correctly can help with maintaining its beauty for many years. There are several types of tile materials available, with each variety requiring specialized cleaning methods to keep the items looking like new. At Tiles Direct, we want our customers to enjoy their new porcelain or ceramic tile floors and countertops, instead of needing to replace the decorative items quickly.

Avoid Using Acidic Chemicals

Using the wrong cleansers to remove debris from tile can cause the materials to degrade rapidly. Customers select tile products carefully at Tiles Direct to provide gorgeous decor in a business or home that complements their furniture. After making the room look fantastic with new tile, keep the materials in the best condition with gentle cleansers and tools. For tiles made of stone, avoid applying harsh cleansers that contain acidic or abrasive particles. After installing stone tiles, the materials require protection with a protective silicone sealer that requires reapplication at least every two years.

Follow the Manufacturer’s Advice

Porcelain and ceramic tile is popular, especially for bathroom walls and kitchen countertops. Both of these areas of a home or business receive a lot of use, leading to needing frequent cleaning. In addition to knowing how to care for your tile located on kitchen countertops and bathroom walls, the grout between the tiles requires specialized cleaning. Vacuuming or sweeping floors removes abrasive debris that will scratch ceramic and porcelain tile. Using a cleanser recommended by a tile manufacturer is a great way to avoid damaging the porcelain or ceramic surfaces.

Do Not Scrub Tile

Tile surfaces in bathrooms and kitchens tend to collect other substances such as soap scum, hair spray or grease from food. These substances can cause ceramic and porcelain to become slippery or sticky while degrading the tile’s material. Cleaning tile frequently helps to avoid a buildup of contaminants that destroy porcelain and ceramic. Avoid choosing a cleanser that contains oil or wax, that leads to slippery floors in a bathroom or kitchen. Use the recommended cleanser product mixed with water to wash away debris. Allowing cleansers to sit on dirty surfaces for a few minutes instead of scrubbing to prevent scratching the tile.

Cleaning Metal and Glass Tile

An easy and inexpensive way to maintain glass tile is by using a mixture of white vinegar and water. Pour this substance in a reusable spray bottle to remove soap scum and debris quickly from shower walls with a soft cloth. It is important to know how to care for your tile that is made from metal. Metals such as copper or bronze can interact with harsh chemicals, causing a change in color. Use a gentle and nonabrasive cleanser available at Tiles Direct that will not leave scratches on the surface of metal tile.